1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information-processing apparatus, a reproduction apparatus, a communication method, a reproduction method and computer programs.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a recording/reproduction apparatus having a large-capacity storage medium such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a semiconductor memory has been developed as a recording/reproduction apparatus for digital contents such as audio contents. In the following description, the digital content is referred to simply as a content. In general, the recording/reproduction apparatus that have been becoming popular include not only a PC (Personal Computer) functioning as an information-processing apparatus, but also a small-size portable reproduction apparatus (or a PD standing for a Portable Device), which is easy to carry. An example of the information-processing apparatus is a PC employing a storage medium with a large storage capacity. With the storage capacity of the storage medium increasing, the portable reproduction apparatus becomes capable of storing a large number of contents. For example, the contemporary portable reproduction apparatus is capable of storing several thousands or even several tens of thousands of musical contents.
In accordance with an apparatus utilization method, a content is generally transferred from an information-processing apparatus to a portable reproduction apparatus in which the content is reproduced. With regard to this apparatus utilization method, documents such as patent document 1 disclose a technology for easily transferring a large number of musical contents from an audio server to a portable audio player. Taken as patent document 1 in this specification is Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-93226.
In an application where a large number of contents are transferred to a portable reproduction apparatus and reproduced in the device, however, it is necessary to speedily search a storage medium employed in the device as a medium used for storing the numerous contents for a desired one to be reproduced. The conventional portable reproduction apparatus has an RDB (Relational Database) used for storing a list of contents each associated with its attributes such as the title of the content, the name of an album serving as a collection including the content and the names of artists related to the content. A query process based on a search key is carried out to search the RDB for contents to be included in a created data table to serve as a displayed search/display table. Then, a display screen showing the displayed search/display table is generated. For example, by using the name of an artist as a search key, the RDB is searched for the names of albums created for the artist, and a table putting the names of the albums on a list is displayed.